Total value of dwelling finance commitments excluding alterations and additions increased by 1.5%. The value of owner occupied housing commitments increased by 1.0%, while the value of investment housing commitments increased by 2.6%.

The number of commitments for owner occupied housing finance increased by 0.5%, while the number excluding refinancing increased by 1.0%.

The number of commitments for owner occupied housing finance increased by 1.3%, while the number excluding refinancing increased by 2.2%.

ORIGINAL ESTIMATES

The number of first home buyer commitments as a percentage of total owner occupied housing finance commitments increased from 17.5% in February 2007 to 18.2% in March 2007. The number of fixed rate loan commitments as a percentage of total owner occupied housing finance commitments decreased from 20.4% in February 2007 to 18.3% in March 2007.

NOTES

FORTHCOMING ISSUES

ISSUE

Release Date

April 2007

8 June 2007

May 2007

10 July 2007

June 2007

8 August 2007

July 2007

7 September 2007

August 2007

10 October 2007

September 2007

7 November 2007

REVISIONS

Minor revisions were made to February 2007 data to incorporate the latest available administrative and survey data.

CHANGES IN FORTHCOMING ISSUES

As advised in the previous issue, the format of the datacube tables 14 and 15 for this publication will be changed to align with the current standard for excel spreadsheets (i.e. in .xls format). The new format will be available as tables 14a and 15a with tables 14, 15 and 14a, 15a released with this issue of 5609.0. Tables 14 and 15 will be withdrawn from the April 2007 issue. Tables 14a and 15a will then be renumbered to Tables 14 and 15.

INQUIRIES

For further information about these and related statistics, contact the National Information and Referral Service on 1300 135 070 or Michael Abbondante on Canberra (02) 6252 6707.